MILECASTLE 17

The site of Roman milecastle 17, part of the defences on Hadrian's Wall at Welton. The milecastle survives as a very reduced platform, with a scarp to the east only; the height is uncertain as the scarp merges with the natural slope in a continous sweep. Previous work by Hepple was reported by Birley et al in 1932. Hepple?s investigations were restricted to the northern part of the milecastle, which lies beneath the Military Road. Up to three courses of the north wall and north gate survived up to 0.8 metres high. The gate was of Type I. The milecastle was a short-axis type, measuring 17.68 metres east-west, by 14.93 metres north-south internally. The north wall was 3.30 metres wide, and the side walls were 2.41 metres thick. The milecastle was subsequently investigated as part of the Milecastles Project in 1999. Two trenches were excavated on the platform which showed that it was deeply buried in colluvium. There was some evidence for activity outside the walls with the presence of a gully and pit, probably Roman in date. Deposits within the milecastle were mostly post-Roman in date, and included the remains of a post-medieval probable barn.

Milecastle 17 is seen as a bold hump 200 yds beyond the reservoirs at Whittledean. Excavations in 1931 showed that it had narrow side walls, and measured internally 53 ft E to W by 49 ft W to S with type I gates. Hepple positions it 325 ft from fence on W side. (2-3)

Milecastle 17 is regularly ploughed over but its site is still marked by a ground swelling and slight stone scatter. (4)

A legionary stone was seen by Hodgson and is now lost (5a, page 40). The excavations of 1931 (mentioned by Authority 2) were carried out by Birley, Brewis and Simpson (5b). The milecastle survives as a very reduced platform, with a scarp to the east only; the height is uncertain as the scarp merges with the natural slope in a continous sweep. (5)

Scheduled (6)

Previous work by Hepple was reported by Birley et al in 1932. Hepple?s investigations were restricted to the northern part of the milecastle, which lies beneath the Military Road. Up to three courses of the north wall and north gate survived up to 0.8 metres high. The gate was of Type I. The milecastle was a short-axis type, measuring 17.68 metres east-west, by 14.93 metres north-south internally. The north wall was 3.30 metres wide, and the side walls were 2.41 metres thick. The milecastle was subsequently investigated as part of the Milecastles Project in 1999. Two trenches were excavated on the platform which showed that it was deeply buried in colluvium. There was some evidence for activity outside the walls with the presence of a gully and pit, probably Roman in date. Deposits within the milecastle were mostly post-Roman in date, and included the remains of a post-medieval probable barn. (7-8)

Located on the English Heritage map of Hadrian's Wall 2010. (9)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

1:2500 1962

( 2) General reference

Bruce, J C, 1957. Handbook to the Roman Wall, 11th edition Page(s)67

( 3) Externally held archive reference

Original MSS T Hepple (In possession of Durham University)

( 4) Field Investigators Comments

F1 RL 08-MAR-66

( 5) Field Investigators Comments

Mark Bowden/26-SEP-1989/RCHME: Hadrian's Wall Project

( 5a) by Miss Madeleine Hope Dodds 1926 A history of Northumberland, volume twelve : the parishes of Ovingham, Stamfordham and Ponteland